True Love: The Story of Lily and James Potter
by L.M.MadHatter
Summary: This is the story that follows Lily and James from the end of their fifth year until their death. The story picks up at the end of the flashback in Book Five Chapter 28 Snape's Worst Memory and follows their lives based on clues in the series with an une
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize!! Sarah and Ophelia are the only things that are mine so far. All other characters belong to the beloved JK Rowling. Some plot themes are borrowed. Don't sue me I have nothing!!!  
  
True Love: The Story of Lily and James Potter (based very closely on clues from JKR)  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Lily walked up the corridor in a huff, her thick, wavy dark red hair flowing behind her, her green eyes sparkling with anger. She was clutching her books tight to her chest.  
  
She had never approved of the way James treated Severus. She had defended him today, stood up for him because she knew it was the right thing to do. But that greasy Slytherin had called her that WORD again. She realized from day one at the sorting that she would never be rid of the word when she was dealing with the likes of the Slytherins, but when Snape uttered the word at her today. after she had helped him!  
  
Her thoughts trailed off as she rounded the corner and saw her friends Sarah and Ophelia.  
  
Sarah had blonde straight hair with rich blue eyes, they had nicknamed her Barbie when she returned to Hogwarts for their 5th year as she had filled out significantly over the summer, leaving the boys to trail after her with tongues hanging out. She was Muggle born too, but no one seemed to notice anything beyond her beauty, even her high marks in all her classes.  
  
Ophelia was just the opposite of her friend physically. Her rich black hair cascaded around her face in loose ringlets and her warm brown eyes were the kind that invited secrets into the open. She was no less beautiful but was not as curvaceous as her friend.  
  
They were giggling to themselves as Lily approached them.  
  
"Hey Lil," Ophelia said, "Where did you go?"  
  
"Yeah, you took off after you yelled at James," chimed Sarah, "Nicely done by the way, he looked completely dumbfounded when you walked away."  
  
"Yeah?" Lily replied in a slightly inquisitive tone "Can you believe he is still asking me out?!"  
  
"Why don't you give him a chance Lil? You know he's one of the cutest boys in our year, if not the whole school!" Sarah said, perking a little at the idea of it all.  
  
Lily thought for a moment back to him. His tall, muscular build was obvious, even with his robes on and his hair was cute, even if he was always mussing it up to make him appear as if he'd just stepped off a broom. She snapped back to reality and replied, "Maybe I would if he wasn't so damn arrogant!"  
  
Sarah and Ophelia both nodded at this. James knew he was great and he wasn't about to let anyone forget it. He had won the Quidditch cup for Gryffindor for three years running and his looks were only improving. He had grown from a skinny, almost awkward first year into a muscular, tall, tan Quidditch star that could have almost any girl he wanted. Any girl, except Lily, she had been turning him down for years now, but she still thought he was gorgeous.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
James had finished with Snivellus for the moment and he lounged back under the tree with Remus and Peter. He ran his hand through his already very untidy hair and looked around at his three friends. His tall, lean frame stretched out and his hazel eyes looked mischievous as he eyed Remus.  
  
"So Moony. When's the full moon? You're not looking too hot." It was true, Remus Lupin's face was pale and drawn, as if he had been sick. His light brown hair was wavy and falling into his face as he scrolled through his book. He was the same height as James but not nearly as muscular.  
  
"Tomorrow night." Remus replied with a sigh, "Thank Merlin today is the last of the O.W.L.S. Transfiguration is last. I think I can probably pass it without studying but I don't want to kick myself after if it's harder than I'm expecting."  
  
"Come on already Moony!" laughed Sirius happily, "You know you have transfiguration down!" Sirius was very good looking with his straight dark hair and his cool demeanor only contributed to his attractiveness. He had rich brown eyes that were mysterious and had a look that told everyone he was trouble. He had two inches on both James and Remus and was the tallest of the group.  
  
"I hope I don't do as poorly on this one as I did on the others."came a meek voice. Peter Pettigrew was a lot smaller than the other boys and did not seem to fit in with the others. He had mousy hair and a pointed nose. He was never very good in school and many people wondered over how he came to be friends with the other three.  
  
But James had stopped listening and was now thinking of her again. He could have any girl in the school but he didn't want just any girl, oh no. he had to have her. She was the most beautiful girl in his eyes and no other would do. Even when she was yelling at him earlier, he couldn't help but notice his heart start to beat faster in his chest. Her beauty wasn't the only thing he had noticed about her. She was also quick with the comebacks, something very important if she were ever to roll with the boys. It didn't hurt that she was also very good at her classes, especially charms. She was exactly what he wanted and he wasn't going to stop trying until she said yes. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except Sarah and Ophelia. thank you for reading!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The next night the boys had all transformed into their various animal forms and gone to the Shrieking Shack for a last night of excitement before it was time to return to their homes for the summer. James loved their adventures under the full moon. He had mastered the art of transforming into his animal, the stag, faster than Sirius and Peter had. Sirius had followed quickly after, transforming into a large black dog, but James held bragging rights on it. It had taken Peter until January of their fifth year to be able to transform into a rat, his animal form.  
  
They had spent their last night roaming freely out in the areas beyond Hogsmeade and loved every last minute of it. They all knew it would be three months before they got to do this again and intended to use this time to celebrate the feeling of freedom.  
  
Two days later James sat on the train in a compartment with his three friends, except he didn't seem to notice their existence. He was staring out the window, watching as the scenery passed by. They were on their way home for the summer. Another year had passed and he still was having no luck with Lily.  
  
Sirius and Remus were discussing Quidditch and their favorite teams for the season when Sirius noticed James' silence. "What's up Prongs? You've barely said a word since we got on here and you hardly ever shut up when it comes to Quidditch!"  
  
"Just thinking," said James without turning back to his friends.  
  
"Oh come off it James," said Sirius with a poke to James side, "You still have two years to try to win her over."  
  
James turned back to his friends then, his expression filled with doubt. "You heard her Padfoot, she thinks I'm arrogant and completely ridiculous!"  
  
"Your never know, things might turn in your favor still, Prongs," said Remus with a slight grin. Then turning to Sirius he asked "You wanna go track down the sweets cart?"  
  
"Sure, can never have too many Chocolate Frogs," said Sirius as he stood, "You coming guys?"  
  
James shook his head as Peter stood up. Sirius grinned "Just don't think about her the WHOLE time we're gone James."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sirius, Remus and Peter headed to the front of the train laughing about James' many failed advances on Lily when they saw the sweets cart with two attractive and familiar looking girls buying Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.  
  
"Watch out," said Sirius looking at the brunette's purchase with a look of distaste, "they can get pretty gross sometimes."  
  
"I know," the brunette replied not looking up, "I've gotten some nasty ones before but the strawberry jam beans keep me coming back." When she looked up and Sirius saw her so closely he drew a breath.  
  
She was stunning! How had he not noticed until now? They had been in the same house, sat in the same common room night after night for five years! The next seven words came out of his mouth so quickly he didn't have time to stop himself, "Would you go out with me sometime?" His eyes widened at his own blunt question, usually he would be more casual and collected before he did something so risky! His stomach leapt at her reply.  
  
"Sure, that sounds like fun!"  
  
She sounded as if it were the most natural thing ever, as if she knew it was coming.  
  
He smiled broadly and replied "Great, I'll owl you this summer, maybe we can meet up at Diagon Alley or in Hogsmeade or something." If he sounded as stupid to her as he did to himself he didn't stand a chance.  
  
"That sounds great, Sirius," she said, then waved, "I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Bye, Ophelia," he replied. MERLIN!! I sound ridiculous!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except Sarah and Ophelia. thank you for reading!  
  
A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who R&R my first chapter!! Nothing but goodness, I'll keep writing now. . . I was worried no one would like it or read it but I'll keep going as long as you keep reading!!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Lily brushed her hair out of her face and stared out the window. Her bright green eyes sparkled as she stared out into the rain. Sarah and Ophelia had gone to get sweets and she was in the compartment alone. Although it was only noon the sky was black as night with the storm and the rain was falling in sheets.  
  
Her thoughts were of him. He really is very handsome. She might have considered him if he wasn't so stuck on himself. She thought of his beautiful hazel eyes and the sparkle they had when he asked her out again only three days ago. She smiled to herself at the thought of it. It made her feel special that he, James Potter, had chosen her over all the other girls at school. If he wasn't always showing off she would have thought he didn't even know they existed. She hadn't heard about him asking anyone else out through all of their five years at Hogwarts, but he was always asking her.  
  
She remembered the first time he asked her. It was in their third year. He had made the Quidditch team and proved he was cool enough for any of the girls. That was the year he got this cocky. He would strut around the common room with his chest stuck out, his hair always having the "falsely wind-blown" appearance that just looked stupid to her.  
  
He would try to awe the girls with his recounting of his most recent victory. They would "ooh" and "ahh" at his narrow escapes and amazing dives again, even though they had all seen them at the game. He had always tried to impress them but he didn't seem to want anything except their admiration. Lily would never just sit there and listen but if he was telling his stories and she was in the room he would be sure to throw her looks that said he was just waiting for her to become interested. When he was sure that he had impressed all the girls in the room he would float over to where Lily was in the room and ask her out with a huge grin and his sparkling eyes shining at her.  
  
She never took the bait but she realized how he had gotten such a huge ego, all the other girls in sight had been stroking his ego for two whole years now! That was her final thought before the door slid open and a giggling Sarah and a blushing Ophelia came into the compartment.  
  
"What happened?" asked Lily, her curiosity piqued at the sight of her friend's face. At that point Sarah almost fell to the floor as her laughter increased two-fold.  
  
"S-sirius," she stuttered through her laughter, "Ju-just - asked - her - out!"  
  
Lily's expression didn't change as she looked from Sarah to Ophelia and back. "That doesn't explain you laughing like that, I mean James asks me out all the time and you've never laughed like this," said Lily, still not completely understanding what had happened.  
  
"She said YES!" Sarah said as another fit of giggles riddled her body and tears came to her eyes.  
  
"WHAT?!" Lily replied, half excited half confused. "You want to go out with that guy? He's just as bad, if not worse, than James!" she said hastily.  
  
"He's not completely bad," Ophelia said with a smile, still blushing madly.  
  
"And you know this how?" Lily asked, Sarah still rolling with laughter.  
  
"He's never bothered me and he was just so cute when he asked," Ophelia said cautiously.  
  
"He was a - - a - - bumbling fool!" Sarah said, trying to get it out between the giggling.  
  
"It was endearing," Ophelia said with a smile, the blush fading from her cheeks.  
  
"Only in your eyes, honey!" Sarah said, still smiling broadly but regaining enough composure to pull herself into a seat next to Lily.  
  
"Ophelia Black," said Lily, voicing her thoughts, "Hmmm. . . not bad, has quite a nice ring to it, don't you think Sarah?"  
  
Ophelia blushed crimson again at this idea. She wasn't about to tell her friends that she had liked Sirius for the past year, ever since they boarded the Hogwarts Express to go to the school for their fifth year. She had never told them and they had not noticed her subtle attempts at flirting, though the others would hardly consider all these things as flirting. No, Ophelia was just growing up, much like the rest of them. 


End file.
